VA Grants Veterans Direct Access to Nurse Practitioners Nationwide

Jan 1, 2017

In a major victory for our nation’s veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs this week announced a rule change that will grant veterans direct access to nurse practitioners working in the VA system nationwide. The new rule brings the VA more in line with modern nurse practitioner (NP) practice. It will enable NPs to serve veterans to a fuller extent of their education and training.

21 states and the District of Columbia have already adopted modern licensure rules for nurse practitioners. The VA’s new rule preempts licensure laws in states like Pennsylvania with outdated nurse practitioner rules.

“The people who serve our country in uniform deserve access to the highest quality health care our country can provide. We applaud the Veterans Health Administration for its decision to allow our veterans direct access to nurse practitioners,” said Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners President Lorraine Bock.